The Big Ten Conference announced its 2014 women’s basketball schedule Tuesday. The University of Iowa women’s basketball team will play 16 conference games, including eight on Mediacom Court in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The Hawkeyes’ conference slate begins at Indiana on Jan. 2, and concludes with the annual Big Ten Tournament, March 6-9. This year’s tournament returns to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.

Iowa’s home league schedule includes three weekend games, four midweek dates, and one Monday matchup. The Hawkeyes host two-time defending conference champion Penn State in their Big Ten home opener on Jan. 5.

“Our conference schedule is demanding every year, and 2014 is no exception,” said UI head coach Lisa Bluder. “The Big Ten is one of the toughest conferences in women’s basketball. Every night we step on the court, we will face quality opponents.

“We have the opportunity to play against great teams in some very tough environments. We are also challenging our team with a difficult nonconference schedule, facing numerous teams that were in postseason play a year ago. We are excited for the 2013-14 season.”

The Big Ten schedule is below. More start times and television information will be released at a later date.

• Iowa will play seven of its first 12 conference games at home. Three of its last four will be on the road.

• Iowa has two midweek “byes” (Thursday, Jan. 23; Thursday, Feb. 20).

• The Hawkeyes will play five league teams twice (Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State) and the other six once. Iowa hosts Michigan State, Nebraska and Northwestern, and travels to Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin.

• Iowa is the only Big Ten team, and one of only 13 teams in the country, to have appeared in the last six NCAA Tournaments.